1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to ultrasonic apparatus and associated process methods for improving transmission of ultrasonic vibrations into liquids, and relates more specifically to mounting of ultrasonic transducers in a way that reduces or eliminates restrictions to the free flow of ultrasonic energy.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
One type of ultrasonic transducer is a rod transducer with an ultrasonic converter head located at one or both ends of a rod. Each ultrasonic converter head includes one or more piezoelectric devices that expand and contract with applied electrical voltage. The rod acts as a resonator that longitudinally transmits ultrasonic vibrations generated by the converter head(s). The rod transducer is intended for immersion into a liquid-filled tank so that the ultrasonic vibrations are transmitted to the liquid for processing in the tank. Rod transducers are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,200,666.
Rod transducers are commonly mounted to an inside wall of a tank. As shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C, a rod transducer 10 is attached to a tank wall 12 using two brackets 14 and 16. One bracket 14 is securely tightened to firmly support one converter head 18 of the rod transducer 10. The other bracket 16 is loosely fitted to the other converter head 20 to hold the other end of the rod transducer 10 in place without unduly restricting the ultrasonic movement of the converter. A cable 22 connects the rod transducer 10 to a power source.
FIG. 2 shows a known configuration for mounting a single-ended rod transducer 30. This transducer has one converter head 32 located above a tank or vessel 34 and a rod 36 that extends downwardly into the tank. A transducer rod support arm 38 is clamped to the rod 36 to support the rod transducer 30 over the tank or vessel 34.
It is desirable to transmit as much of the ultrasonic vibrations from the rod transducer to the liquid in the tank as possible. What is needed is an improved supporting structure that improves the transmission of ultrasonic vibrations into the liquid instead of the supporting structure.